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[Wyvern]

The goal for this mod is to add at least three new variants for each hull, and integrate those into the campaign - so that, when you see (for example) a Tri-Tachyon Paragon on the campaign map, you don't instantly know that it's armed with two tachyon lances, two auto-pulse lasers, four heavy blasters, etc.

So, I'm looking for two things: one is particular variants that you've found to be effective under AI control.  That last is important - I don't care how awesome your personal flagship design is if the AI can't use it effectively.

The other is opinions on whether or not I should include any "elite" variants that break the normal ordnance point limits.  I'm mostly tempted to do this for things like the omni shield hull mod, which is - in my opinion - excessively expensive.  Especially given that it's usually not an improvement on a player-controlled ship, but is (or at least was in .52 - I haven't tested it yet in .53) a huge boon to the AI.

[Sproginator]

The goal for this mod is to add at least three new variants for each hull, and integrate those into the campaign - so that, when you see (for example) a Tri-Tachyon Paragon on the campaign map, you don't instantly know that it's armed with two tachyon lances, two auto-pulse lasers, four heavy blasters, etc.

So, I'm looking for two things: one is particular variants that you've found to be effective under AI control.  That last is important - I don't care how awesome your personal flagship design is if the AI can't use it effectively.

The other is opinions on whether or not I should include any "elite" variants that break the normal ordnance point limits.  I'm mostly tempted to do this for things like the omni shield hull mod, which is - in my opinion - excessively expensive.  Especially given that it's usually not an improvement on a player-controlled ship, but is (or at least was in .52 - I haven't tested it yet in .53) a huge boon to the AI.

PD Capital, 'Nuff said XD

[sirboomalot]

Well this is a mod I'll be looking forward to seeing. I can't really help you all that much for variations due to my love of other modded stuff, but you could probably make a hound variant for every medium ballistic gun in the game.

[Thaago]

Hi Wyvern, are you still working on this? I went to start the same project, did a search, and saw this one.

[Wyvern]

Still working, though I'll admit I've been a bit distracted...

Would you like a small pile of variants?

[Thaago]

Sure! I'll probably dump a bunch of mine into this thread for you as well. Need any ships in particular?

[Wyvern]

Not sure - not at my main computer right now, so no idea what I do or don't have.

That said, I do know I've had trouble making effective variants for some of the midline ships; Eagle and Falcon cruisers in particular, but also the Conquest.

Just as a note, one other thing I've done is make a few deliberately "less than ideal" variants, mostly for ships the pirates would use - the theory there being that, well, if you don't have the resources of a major power, you may not always have exactly the weapons available that you wanted.

Then there are the "elite" variants I mentioned in the original post; at the moment, only the Sunder and Aurora get those - and only because High Energy Focus + AI control + front shields = very dead ship the moment it faces more than one opponent.  They need omni shields to work with the current HEF AI, so I tossed that one hull mod on for free.  Curious on your opinion, though, of whether or not such a variant is a reasonable inclusion for an otherwise purely player-replicable mod.

[Avan]

Two words:
Shield. Hounds.

Sticking a frontal shield on a hound vastly improves the AI's surviveability in them. Put all spare OP into vents - this will let the AI quickly vent its fl. For even more fun, in a mixed fleet, give them a kinetic weapon in the medium slot (railgun, even though it is small, allows the hound to make an effective early-game shield buster to support ships with more direct firepower to move in and take out the hull.)

For that matter, omni-shield buffalo II's aren't half-bad, even if they have a substantial reduction in firepower (I ditch the missiles in the side slots), it gives them just that much more space between not being blown up and being blown up. I had one into late-game as a fire-support ship (it was in fact the first ship I captured) before retiring it once my fleet began to run out of room. I still had those shield hounds running around even that late in the game.

Also, tempests with a pair of heavy blasters & lots of flux can be quite fearsome, even if they do have to continually retreat to vent.

[Darloth]

I've had surprisingly good results with a PD focussed Aurora as a convoy escort ship.

[medikohl]

a few venture variants would go a long way